Joe Wolfcale
Marin Independent Journal
Copyright 2006 Marin Independent Journal, a MediaNews Group publication
All Rights Reserved
A San Rafael man on probation for drunken driving was charged with felony DUI after his vehicle rear-ended a parked California Highway Patrol car and injured an officer on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
The incident occurred at 9:48 p.m. Monday, when Jaime Quiroz Rodriguez, 23, drifted across two lanes of westbound traffic that were separated by construction barriers and struck the Crown Victoria patrol car of CHP veteran officer Matt Burton, who was parked alongside the roadway.
The crash occurred at 30 to 35 mph, about a half-mile west of the Contra Costa-Marin county line, CHP spokeswoman Mary Ziegenbein said.
Burton, who works out of the CHP offices in Corte Madera, suffered minor injuries. Burton reached into the red 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Rodriguez was driving and turned the engine off.
Rodriguez was charged with suspicion of felony DUI with injury, driving with a suspended license, being an unlicensed driver, making false statements to a peace officer and failing to provide financial liability information, said Deputy District Attorney Linda Witong of the Marin County District Attorney’s Office.
He was on probation for a 2004 DUI at the time of Monday’s incident.
Burton had just helped a motorist, returned to his vehicle and secured his seat belt when his car was hit.
He suffered cuts to his arm and has complained of back pain. The extent of damage to his patrol car was not available.
The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is in the midst of an extensive resurfacing project with both directions of traffic limited by delineation markers.
Rodriguez drove across the middle lane and into the slow lane where he struck the CHP vehicle, police said.
The project is expected to be finished next month, according to the CHP.
Rodriguez was being held at Marin County Jail on $50,000 bail and is due in court Friday. If convicted, he could face up to three years in state prison.